MIAMI — Jeremy Hefner had a career performance evaporate before his eyes.
The right-hander lost his shutout in the ninth inning Tuesday night and then the game, when Brandon Lyon uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Juan Pierre to score the winning run in the Mets’ 2-1 loss to the Marlins.
Hefner set a career high with eight strikeouts and matched a career high with eight innings pitched. He was charged for two runs, one unearned, on four hits with no walks.
It came after Hefner pitched seven innings and allowed one run against the Dodgers last Thursday in a no-decision.
“My stuff and my mechanics are being cleaned up, more to where they were during spring training,” Hefner said.
In three career starts at Marlins Park, Hefner has posted a 2.10 ERA.
* Justin Turner is among the few Mets on an offensive tear, but that won’t translate into regular playing time unless an injury sidelines David Wright or Daniel Murphy for an extended period.
To increase his chances of playing, Turner has begun taking fly balls in left field for the rare occasions when manager Terry Collins wants to sit Lucas Duda.
Turner started at third base on Monday and went 3-for-5 against the Marlins, raising his average to .368. In his seven starts this season he’s batting .491. He was back on the bench Tuesday night, but could start at first base today against lefty Wade LeBlanc.
“He’s not intimidated by any situations,” Collins said. “He’ll hit the ball from line to line, which I think makes him very dangerous.”
* Wright returned to the lineup after a stiff neck kept him from starting on Monday. He went 0-for-4.
Wright appeared as a pinch-hitter in that game and struck out in the 13th inning. Collins had tinkered with the idea of keeping Wright on the bench for the rest of this series and then letting him resume on Friday in Atlanta after tomorrow’s day off.
* Shaun Marcum, who pitched two innings of relief Monday and took the loss, remains on track for his scheduled start against the Braves on Friday. Marcum volunteered for relief duty when it became evident the Mets were running out of pitchers.